Victoria

Explore records from the BC Archives related to the diversity of the Black community in the early days of BC.

Through the perspective of Vietnamese Canadian artist Chrystal Phan and others, we take a closer look at the journey of people who came to Canada from Vietnam as refugees and settled in British Columbia in the years 1979–80.

This pathway examines the displacement and dispossession of thousands of Japanese Canadians in Canada in the 1940s.

This pathway is connected to the exhibition Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum. The exhibition and pathway explores the connections between historical and contemporary Black experiences throughout BC.

Hannah Maynard was an early expert in experimental photography. In the mid-1800s, she started capturing portraits of Victoria’s early settlers and Indigenous communities. With explorations of multiple exposures and photo sculpting, she experimented with surrealism years before its time.

British Columbia today is both a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, which means that British Columbians elect people to represent them at the provincial legislature. These elected representatives are called members of the legislative assembly (MLAs). Each MLA represents a different area, called an electoral district or a constituency. It is their job to…

The Royal BC Museum and BC Heritage Fairs both work to engage youth with BC’s history. Find out how and be inspired by student projects in this pathway.

Look into documents and artifacts from the Royal BC Museum and Archives to uncover how the Chinese Canadian community was treated in BC’s past.

Did you know that there has been a connection between China and BC for over 225 years? Explore the Royal BC Museum and Archives and use our collections to find out more about early Chinese Canadian history.

Explore the rich history of the people who learned and taught in St. Ann's Schoolhouse.

In 1858 word of gold rang out in the Fraser Canyon, setting off a dramatic migration of people and propelling this once remote region of western North American into the modern age. What can you discover about BC's gold rush?

Emily Carr is British Columbia’s most famous artist, but she was also a colourful woman who lived a life full of adventure. Learn about Emily’s love of animals and explore her life through some of the museum’s vast Emily Carr collection.

Canada’s oldest Chinatown is in Victoria, BC. The Royal BC Museum exhibition Tradition in Felicities used video, photographs and the written word to celebrate the community of this national landmark. Teachers look for lesson plans in Watch!

The role of the British Crown in Canada is mainly ceremonial, but the lieutenant-governor still plays a key part in the governing of British Columbia.

You might be surprised at what a seemingly simple piece of paper can reveal. The BC Archives holds paper documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates. These and other records are important resources for family history researchers.